Long-lasting allergic contact blepharoconjunctivitis to phenylephrine eyedrops

Allergic contact dermatitis due to mydriatic eyedrops is rare despite extensively used by ophthalmologists. Phenylephrine is responsible for most of the cases in the literature. We reported two other cases due to phenylephrine eyedrops with an unusual evolution characterized by chronic debilitating blepharoconjunctivitis.

Recombinant proteins and peptides as tools for studying IgE reactivity with low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits in some wheat allergies

Two genes of wheat low-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (LMW-GS), B16 and P73, were cloned and expressed in E. coli. They were homologous to proteins encoded respectively at Glu-B3 and Glu-D3 loci. The N-terminal and C-terminal halves of B16 (NB16 and B16C) and the two chimeras combining the halves of the two genes (B16-P73 and P73- B16) were also expressed. All these constructs were compared for their reactivity with IgE from 24 patients suffering from different forms of wheat allergies. The results confirmed that LMW-GSs bound IgE in all adult allergies tested. Strong differences in reactivity between all the constructs were observed. They were disease-dependent. In wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA), the reactivity of the constructs depended partly on common epitopes with omega-5 gliadins but also on differences in molecule conformation. The presence of NB16 in the constructs greatly influenced their IgE reactivity.

Genetic differences in omega-gliadins involved in two different immediate food hypersensitivities to wheat

BACKGROUND

Anti-gliadin IgE are expressed in patients with food allergy associated to skin immediate hypersensitivity to hydrolyzed wheat proteins (IHHWP). It is not known if they react with omega5-gliadins, the major allergens in wheat dependant exercise-induced food anaphylaxis (WDEIA), encoded on wheat chromosomes 1B.

METHODS

Unmodified gliadins from 14 wheat varieties expressing most of the 1B omega-gliadin alleles, were immunoprobed after SDS-PAGE and blotting, with four sera from patients with IHHWP, and two with WDEIA. Gliadins reacting with IgE were visualized using chemiluminescence and identified according to their mobility and typical SDS-PAGE pattern. The resulting signal was also measured to compare their IgE reactivity.

RESULTS

IHHWP and WDEIA sera exhibited distinct patterns of reactivity. IgE of patients with IHHWP reacted mainly with all omega-gliadins alleles and one gamma-gliadin encoded respectively on chromosomes 1D and 1B, but not with any omega5-gliadins alleles as for WDEIA. A few other reactive alleles of omega-gliadins were encoded on chromosomes 1A. Unassigned additional bands of the whole gliadin pattern were also reactive. The four patients with IHHWP exhibited almost the same pattern of reactivity. Main differences concerned band reactivity which modulated the overall reactivity of each wheat variety.

CONCLUSIONS

The IgE epitopes involved in IHHWP and WDEIA are different. This suggests that the protein state and the route of exposure to very similar gluten structures, probably orientate the pattern of epitope reactivity and the wheat food allergy manifestations.

Anaphylactic shock after oral intake and contact urticaria due to polyethylene glycols

We reported an anaphylaxis after oral intake and contact urticaria due to polyethylene glycols.

Allergie de contact aux antiseptiques : 75 cas analysés par le réseau Revidal de dermato-allergovigilance

AIM

To determine the clinical features of contact dermatitis caused by antiseptics and to ascertain whether the substance responsible is the antiseptic itself or the excipients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A multicenter, retrospective study based on analysis of all cases reported over a 2-year period to the Dermato-Allergology Vigilance network known as Revidal. Each dossier contained details of the clinical characteristics of lesions, the incriminated antiseptic, the mode of exposure and the results of patch tests done with the antiseptic in question.

RESULTS

75 patients (mean age: 44 years) were sensitized to chlorhexidine (14 cases), hexamidine (20 cases), povidone iodine (14 cases), mercuric antiseptics (3 cases), triclocarban (Septivon, 17 cases), hexamidine-chlorhexidine-chlorocresol (Cytéal, 4 cases), or chlorhexidine surfactant (Hibiscrub), cetrimide or chlorhexidine digluconate (Diaseptyl) (1 case each). Exposure was therapy-related (68 cases), work-related (6 cases; 5 in health workers and 1 in a cattle farmer due to povidone-iodine) or related to cosmetics (1 case, hexamidine). The clinical features consisted mainly of localized contact dermatitis, although generalized eczema occurred in 9 cases due to hexamidine contact. Sensitization was due to the antiseptic itself (53 cases) or to the excipients alone (22 cases), particularly in the 17 cases caused by Septivon. In 27/75 cases (35%), patients exhibited polysensitization to antiseptics belonging to different chemical classes or to other topical drugs.

CONCLUSION

Sensitization to antiseptics is probably not rare, with various sources of exposure being present in everyday life. Patch tests are essential for diagnosis in order to distinguish between antiseptic-related and excipient-related sensitization and to screen for polysensitization to topical drugs.

Nickel-elicited systemic contact dermatitis from a peripheral intravenous catheter

Nickel-elicited systemic contact dermatitis is a well-known entity, although it is far less common than allergic contact dermatitis. In most of the cases, the main way of nickel administration is oral. Clinical manifestations are miscellaneous including pompholyx, diffuse exanthema, flexural dermatitis or baboon syndrome. Systemic nickel dermatitis induced by venous catheters is very uncommon, but it is probably underdiagnosed. We report here 2 patients with diffuse recurrent maculopapular rash corresponding to nickel-elicited systemic contact dermatitis. They were both perfused during the last episode with the assistance of a peripheral polyurethane venous catheter during or just before the cutaneous eruption. At the base of the catheter, there was a small metallic eyelet on which dimethylglyoxime test was positive, indicating a release of nickel. Then, we measured nickel release in normal use conditions and found high nickel levels, although the manufacturer denied that nickel could be released. This diagnosis is important to know because such exanthema often occurred during postoperative or postpartum period. Its frequency is probably underestimated because it is often considered as a cutaneous drug reaction. To our knowledge, only 2 cases have been reported in the literature.

[Connubial contact dermatitis to an inhaled corticosteroid]

BACKGROUND

Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used in allergic asthma and rhinitis. They are most often used alone or sometimes in association. Allergic side-effects of inhaled corticosteroids are less frequent than those of topical corticosteroids. We report a case of a connubial dermatitis to a budesonide spray.

OBSERVATION

A 3-year old boy was treated for asthma by budesonide (Pulmicort) and terbutaline (Bricanyl) aerosols with an inhalation chamber (Babyhaler). From the fourth day of treatment onwards, his mother had swollen and itchy lesions on the face with conjunctivitis several hours after the administration of the corticosteroids using the inhalation chamber. The last eruptions were marked by extensive lesions. The patient reported a worsening of her eruption when she was treated with a desonide cream (Tridesonit). Prick-tests conducted later on confirmed the contact allergy to budesonide and Pulmicort spray. They were also positive for Tridesonit cream and triamcinolone acetonide. Repeated open application tests with a 17-butyrate hydrocortisone cream (Locoid) for three weeks remainded negative.

DISCUSSION

Our observation is original: allergic contact dermatitis to inhaled corticosteroids is rare, the clinical presentation mimicked angioedema although it was a delayed-type hypersensitivity, hypersensitivity was limited to group B corticosteroids and it was in fact a connubial contact dermatitis.

Diffuse inflammatory lesions in patients treated with interferon alfa and ribavirin for hepatitis C: a series of 20 patients

BACKGROUND

Cutaneous side-effects of treatment with interferon alfa or interferon alfa plus ribavirin in patients with hepatitis C have already been reported but they are mostly local with inflammation and, much less frequently, necrosis at the injection points. By contrast, very few data are available with regard to distant skin reactions, particularly inflammatory lesions on other parts of the body.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the clinical and histological pattern of inflammatory skin lesions outside the injection points in patients treated with interferon alfa and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C.

METHODS

Twenty patients attending a University Hospital in Southern France (secondary referral centre) were evaluated regard to clinical history, type and localization of lesions, progression and histology. Skin testing was performed in some patients and the relevance of the results was evaluated.

RESULTS

Eczema-like skin lesions were mainly distributed on the extremities, sometimes associated with photosensitivity. They usually occurred between 2 and 4 months of treatment. Histology was nonspecific, with a dermal, mainly perivascular, mononuclear infiltrate. Skin testing was poorly informative and was not predictive of relapse. Treatment had to be interrupted in half the patients, of whom two of three relapsed on resuming therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of inflammatory skin lesions at a distance from injection sites in patients treated with interferon alfa and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C is currently unknown, but this adverse event must be taken into consideration as it may lead to the transient or definitive interruption of treatment.

Phenotypic characterization of human CD4+ regulatory T cells obtained from cutaneous dinitrochlorobenzene-induced delayed type hypersensitivity reactions

In this study, we describe the generation and characterization of cloned human CD4+ T lymphocyte populations that have infiltrated into cutaneous, 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene-induced delayed type hypersensitivity reactions in healthy human subjects. It is shown that, in addition to T helper type 1 clones, elevated numbers of regulatory T clones, producing high levels of interleukin-10 and interleukin-5, but no measurable interleukin-4, were isolated from delayed type hypersensitivity reactions in four of six donors. A subsequent challenge with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene of two donors from whom only few interleukin-10-producing T cell clones had been generated after primary challenge, resulted in a decrease in the frequency of T helper type 1 clones and a strong increase in the number of interleukin-10-producing T helper type 2 and regulatory T clones. Culture supernatants from the latter cells, activated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibody, inhibited alloantigen-mediated T cell proliferation which was, partly dependent on interleukin-10, and independent of transforming growth factor-beta. In addition, dendritic cells generated in vitro in the presence of these culture supernatants were impaired in their ability to induce alloantigen-induced proliferative responses. Differential expression of transcripts for the T1/ST2 molecule enabled a phenotypic distinction between resting regulatory T cells and T helper type 2 cells, but not between regulatory T cells and T helper type 1 cells. This experimental model provides a useful tool to isolate human inflammatory and anti-inflammatory T cell subpopulations and, furthermore, enables the study of the kinetics of their appearance into delayed type hypersensitivity reactions.

[Contact dermatitis caused by labile henna skin tattoo]

BACKGROUND

Contact dermatitis to henna are rarely reported. Most of the time, they are related to additives, especially scented oils or paraphenylene diamine. This latter substance is added to shorten the time of application and to enhance the darkness of the color. We report one case of an allergic contact dermatitis to henna skin tattoo, probably related to a paraphenylene diamine derivative.

CASE REPORT

A 25-year-old woman developed an allergic contact dermatitis at the site of application of two henna skin tattoos on her right arm. She never dyed her hair and wore dark clothing without problems. Epicutaneous tests were positive for henna paste, paraphenylene diamine, N-isopropyl-N'phenylparaphenylene diamine and five chemical dyes, probably related to cross- reactions between paraphenylene diamine and these dyes. Epicutaneous test with henna powder was negative, confirming the absence of allergy to henna. Fluorescence analysis detected the presence of a primary amine in henna paste but high performance liquid chromatography analysis did not reveal the presence of paraphenylene diamine or any suspect dye. An another allergen, related compound of paraphenylene diamine, was probably present but we failed to identify it with precision.

DISCUSSION

Labile henna skin tattoos are in fashion at the moment in western European countries. They can be a secrete source of paraphenylene diamine, or one of its related compounds, sensitization.

Angiosarcoma of the scalp and face: failure of an interferon alpha treatment

Angiosarcoma of the scalp and face is a rare malignant endothelial tumor arising in elderly people. Treatment is disappointing and prognosis remains poor. We report two cases of angiosarcoma of the scalp and face relapsing after classical therapy with surgery and radiotherapy and treated with interferon alpha. The tolerance was poor and the disease progressed 2 and 5 months after the onset of the treatment. When used alone, interferon alpha does not appear as an effective treatment in this kind of angiosarcoma.

Delays in diagnosis and melanoma prognosis (II): the role of doctors

A prospective survey was conducted to assess physician responsibility in melanoma prognosis. Consecutive patients with primary melanoma were interviewed and examined using a standardized questionnaire. Main outcome measures were medical components of the delay before tumor resection and tumor thickness. Of 590 melanomas, 29.1% were coincidentally detected by physicians and their tumor depth was lower than in melanomas detected by patients (p < 0.001). Physician sensitivity for melanoma diagnosis was evaluated at 86%. Median time intervals to propose resection and to perform removal of melanoma were short: 0 (mean 103) and 7 (mean 68) days, respectively. Melanomas were managed in an inappropriate way in 14.2% of cases. Location on acral areas and absence of pigmentation were associated with longer medical delays and more frequent inappropriate medical attitudes. Melanomas located on hardly visible areas were less frequently detected by physicians than those on visible areas. Medical delays were shorter, doctor's attitude was more frequently appropriate, and melanoma thickness was lower (p < 0.001) when the patient visited a dermatologist (54.7%) than when he or she visited a general practitioner (33.4%). Our study shows that doctor responsibility accounts for only a small part of the total delay before melanoma removal. However, systematic total examination and better training of doctors, especially about unusual forms of melanoma, could still improve melanoma detection.

Delays in diagnosis and melanoma prognosis (I): the role of patients

A prospective survey was conducted to assess the role of patients in the melanoma prognosis. Consecutive patients with primary melanoma were interviewed and examined using a comprehensive questionnaire including a psychological instrument. Main outcome measures were the delay before medical intervention and the tumor thickness. Of 590 melanomas, 70.8% were detected by patients and this proportion was higher in females. Relatives were involved in the detection of half of the cases. Median delays before the patient realized he had a suspicious lesion, before this lesion was seen by a doctor, and before the melanoma was removed were 4 months, 2 months, and 1 week, respectively. Delays up to several years were observed in some cases. The rate of self-detection tended to be lower, the delays before seeking medical advice to be longer, and the tumor thickness to be higher in old people, in males, in lower-educated individuals, in those living out of towns, and in people with a low awareness about melanocytic tumors than in other cases. Conversely, individuals with a high number of atypical nevi, those who were aware to be at risk, and those who regularly visited a dermatologist tended to detect their melanoma more rapidly. No specific psychological traits were associated with a late reaction, although negligence and anxiety tended to prolong the delays. Knowledge about melanoma was poor in many patients, especially in males, and wrong beliefs were widespread. This study provides the targets of future education programs.

[Extensive primary cutaneous mucinosis associated with refractory anemia with excess of blast]

BACKGROUND

We describe an original case of a primary cutaneous mucinosis, associated with a refractory anemia with excess of blast.

CASE REPORT

A 65 year-old female consulted for erythematous-purple blush reticulated and large plaques that progressively developed on the trunk and limbs. Biopsies showed abundant dermis mucin deposits with a perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. The epidermis was normal. Laboratory evaluation showed refractory anemia with excess of blast, associated with cytogenetic abnormalities. After two years course, the progressive aggravation of the myelodysplastic syndrome was associated with a progressive extension of the cutaneous mucinosis.

DISCUSSION

This is the first report of an atypical primary diffuse and extensive cutaneous mucinosis. Primary cutaneous mucinosis may be associated with systemic diseases. To our knowledge, the association with refractory anemia with excess of blast has not been described previously. Mucine deposits may be considered as a consequence of neutrophilic dysfunction that are observed in myelodysplastic syndromes.